Monday, November 30, 2009

Basho Opening at 1330 Boylston in Boston's Fenway Neighborhood

It appears that a new Japanese restaurant will be opening next spring in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston. According to a press release on the Fenway Triangle site, Basho will open at 1330 Boylston, a mixed-use building that includes luxury apartments as well as retail space on the ground floor. The press release mentions that the person behind this modern Japanese dining spot is also the owner of Douzo, an upscale Japanese restaurant and lounge on Dartmouth Street in the Back Bay.

Basho will most likely feature a sushi bar, a grill bar, and a raw bar, as well as a lounge, based on information given in the press release. The space in which Basho will reside looks to be fairly large (a little under 5,500 square feet).

1330 Boylston is also home to a location of the Upper Crust Pizzeria, and may also include a gastropub called The Citizen at some point in the future.

[April 21 update: Basho is now open for business.]

The address for this Japanese restaurant in the Fenway neighborhood is: Basho, 1330 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02215.

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Two More Boston Restaurant Openings: Whiskey Priest, The Citizen

A couple more restaurants may be coming to Boston, though it appears that both places are in the very early stages of planning, with little or no information on either one at this point.

The first restaurant (and bar) looks to be called The Whiskey Priest, and it will be opening at some point at 150 Northern Avenue in the Seaport District of Boston. The Whiskey Priest will be replacing a spot called the Seaport Bar and Grille, which has been at this location for a number of years. [April 16 update: According to UrbanDaddy Boston, The Whiskey Priest is having a soft opening tonight.]

The second restaurant may go by the name The Citizen, with its tentative location at 1330 Boylston Street in the heart of the Fenway neighborhood of Boston (just south of Fenway Park). 1330 Boylston is a mixed-use complex with luxury apartments as well as retail space on the ground floor (a location of the Upper Crust Pizzeria is in the building).

[December 11 update: According to the Boston Herald, one of the owners of The Franklin Cafe in the South End is behind the proposed opening of The Citizen, which will likely be a similar restaurant to The Franklin, although a bit less expensive. The article mentions that, if approved, the restaurant could have up to 80 seats plus an outdoor dining area.]

[October 22 update: According to BostonTweet, Citizen Public House and Oyster Bar is going to be opening tomorrow evening (Saturday, October 23). A picture of the new restaurant can be found through BostonTweet's Twitpic account here: http://twitpic.com/2zvlcs]

Thanks to the EveryBlock Boston website for bringing both of these places to our attention.

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The Powow River Grille in Amesbury Is Closing

A riverside restaurant north of Boston that features an eclectic mix of ethnic dishes and comfort food will soon be closing. According to the Daily News of Newburyport, the Powow River Grille in Amesbury will close its doors at the end of 2009 after being in business for about five years. The owners of the restaurant (who also own the Plum Island Grille on nearby Plum Island) are apparently closing the Powow River Grille because one of the owners is looking at some type of new business venture.

The Powow River Grille has been serving a variety of unique dishes to diners over the past few years, including pan-roasted pineapple duck, lobster lasagna, Thai seafood stew, pan-seared ahi tuna over organic greens. The restaurant also offers such comfort food dishes as burgers and fried haddock.

The address for this soon-to-close restaurant north of Boston is: The Powow River Grille, 33 Main Street, Amesbury, MA, 01913. The phone number is (978) 388-2300.

For more on the pending closing of the Powow River Grille, please go to the Daily News of Newburyport link below:

Powow River Grille to close at year's end

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Saturday, November 28, 2009

Beacon Grille Opening in Woburn in January

A new casual high-end restaurant and bar will soon be opening in Woburn. According to the restaurant's website and Facebook page, the Beacon Grille is looking to open at the TradeCenter complex just north of Route 128 in January of 2010. The restaurant will have a capacity of about 250, and will feature American bistro-style fare for both lunch and dinner (dinner only on Saturdays, and apparently closed on Sundays). A 60-seat bar and lounge will also be within the dining spot. [January 26 update: The Beacon Grille is now officially open.]

The lunch and dinner menus at the Beacon Grille will include such dishes as fish chowder, roast beef au jus, a grilled chicken panini, a 20-ounce rib eye, roasted bourbon-glazed pork chops, chicken pot pie, grilled salmon, and boiled Maine lobster. The dinner menu will also feature small plates and pizzatas. Entree prices range upward to the mid-30s, with most items being in the teens and twenties.

The address for this restaurant coming to the northern suburbs of Boston will be: Beacon Grille, 400 TradeCenter 128 (Suite 1900), 100 Sylvan Road, Woburn, MA, 01801. The website is at: http://www.thebeacongrille.com/

Thanks to a poster on the Chowhound site for bringing this restaurant to our attention.

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Upper Crust Pizzeria Opening in Wellesley

A local chain of pizza places continues its expansion through the Boston area with news of a shop coming to Wellesley. According to Wellesley MA's Swellesley Report (and confirmed on the restaurant's Twitter page), The Upper Crust Pizzeria will be opening on Central Street (Route 135) near the western edge of the town center in 2010. Currently, there are a number of other Upper Crust locations all over the Boston area, including Brookline, Cambridge, Hingham, Lexington, Newburyport, Plymouth, Salem, Waltham, and Watertown, and West Roxbury.

[March 25 update: According to its Twitter page, the new location of The Upper Crust in Wellesley is now open.]

The address for this pizza place west of Boston is: The Upper Crust Pizzeria, 99 Central Street, Wellesley, MA, 02482. The phone number is (781) 235-5011. And the Web site for the chain is at: http://www.theuppercrustpizzeria.com/

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Latest Review: Picco Restaurant, Boston

photo of Picco Restaurant, Boston, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is Picco, a restaurant in the South End of Boston that features pizza and homemade ice cream. Located on Tremont Street in the heart of the South End neighborhood, Picco is a fairly small dining spot with a funky retro look that includes a soda fountain and a decent-sized outdoor dining area in the warmer months. While the restaurant is known mostly for its pizza and ice cream, it also offers soups, salads, sandwiches, calzones, and pasta dishes as well. To read more about Picco Restaurant in the South End of Boston, please click on the link above.

A Few Thankskgiving-Related Questions

The Boston's Hidden Restaurants website has a questions and answers section that deals with all kinds of topics concerning the Boston and New England restaurant scene. With Thanksgiving only one day away, we thought it might be fun to post a few questions from the site that are related to Turkey Day. Below are the questions; feel free to respond to any of them that you would like!

Good Turkey Dinner at a Boston-Area Restaurant?

Restaurant With the Best Cornbread in New England?

What Are Some Good Beaujolais Wines?

Best Turkey Dinner in New England?

Restaurants in New England with Good Popovers?

Great Stews, Fall Comfort Foods?

What Is Your Favorite Port Wine?

Have a good Thanksgiving, everyone!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Symphony 8 Opens in Boston

A new restaurant that features three bars and a special $8 menu has just opened around the corner from Symphony Hall in Boston. According to both their website and their Facebook fan page, Symphony 8 opened their doors last night (Monday, November 23), on Westland Avenue where the Malaysian restaurant Tigerlily used to be.

Symphony 8 will be featuring an eclectic mix of gastropub-style food and New American cuisine, including smoked salmon crepes, baked brie, a crab sandwich, burgers, pizza, chicken and waffles, chili dogs with tater tots, citrus-glazed duck breast, Guinness-braised short ribs, and baked macaroni and cheese. A full Irish breakfast will also be served all day. Prices for meals top out at under $20, with most dishes being around $10 to $15. A number of beers and wines are offered at Symphony 8, as well as a variety of cocktails. [December 7 Update: A speakeasy-style bar called Prohibited, which is part of Symphony 8, has opened. Apparently, a password is needed to get into the bar, and actually finding the bar is not all that easy, as the entrance to it is supposedly hidden.]

Hours for Symphony 8 are 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM seven days a week, with the kitchen being open until midnight.

The address for this new restaurant and bar near Symphony Hall is: Symphony 8, 8 Westland Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115. The phone number is (617) 267-1200. And the website is at: http://www.symphony8boston.com/

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Barlow's Restaurant to Open in South Boston

A Brighton-based group that owns four restaurants in the Boston area will soon be opening a fifth dining spot, with this one being in South Boston. Barlow's, which will be opening on A Street in the Fort Point Channel area, will join Orleans in Somerville, Devlin's and Porter Belly's Pub in Brighton, and The Warren Tavern in Charlestown as the latest venture from the Superior Restaurant Group. Based on their existing dining spots, Barlow's will probably be a casual neighborhood restaurant that features comfort food and pub grub as well as beer, wine, and other drinks.

No specific date has been given as to when Barlow's might open, but the restaurant currently has a number of job listings online, so opening day could be fairly soon. Keep checking back, as we will post updates as we get them. [December 7, 9 Updates: The UrbanDaddy site mentions that Barlow's is opening this Wednesday, December 9, but a phone call placed to the new restaurant indicates that they will actually be opening on Thursday, December 10. The UrbanDaddy article includes a menu for Barlow's, showing such traditional American and comfort food items as butternut squash soup, crab cakes, turkey tips, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, baked penne, burgers, and pizza. Thanks to one of our readers (see comments section) for posting a link to the UrbanDaddy site.]

The address for this new restaurant in the Fort Point neighborhood of South Boston will be: Barlow's, 241 A Street, South Boston, MA, 02210.

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Za Restaurant Is Opening a Second Location in Kendall Square, Cambridge

As mentioned in an earlier article, a rumor that we had heard awhile ago about EVOO in Somerville and Za in Arlington is indeed no longer a rumor, as the eclectic restaurant EVOO will be moving from Somerville to Kendall Square in Cambridge and Za will be opening a second location in the same building.

Za, an upscale restaurant on Mass. Ave. in East Arlington that features pizza, salads, and desserts, is owned by the same people who own EVOO, and should be moving into the new spot on Kendall Square along with EVOO sometime in February of 2010, according to Boston Grub Street and other sources. And as noted before in the article about EVOO's moving, this information has also been confirmed within the City of Cambridge website on a license committee general hearings page.

[March 5 update: Za is planning on opening for dinner tonight (Friday, March 5) and should be open for dinner tomorrow night as well. They are hoping to start serving lunch next week. Call ahead for details, just in case--their phone number is (617) 452-9292.]

For more information on the opening of a second location of Za in the Kendall Square section of Cambridge, please go to the Grub Street Boston link below:

EVOO, Za Opening in Kendall Square

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Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives Is Featuring Mr. Bartley's in Cambridge Tonight (November 23, 2009)

Food Network host Guy Fieri continues to feature Boston and New England restaurants this season on his show "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," with the latest being shown in a segment tonight at 10:00 PM. On this evening's show, Guy will be at Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, a Cambridge institution that is seen by many as one of the best burger places in the Greater Boston area.

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, which has been serving food to diners since 1960, features a wide variety of burgers, including the Barack Obama (feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion), the A-Rod (turkey burger with blue cheese and hot sauce), and the Mayor Menino (fried egg, bacon, kraft cheese). The restaurant also offers other kinds of sandwiches as well as salads, fries, onion rings, and a number of dinner entrees including macaroni and cheese, roast turkey dinner, franks and beans, and meatloaf.

Tonight's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives will also feature the Tee Off Bar and Grill in San Francisco, CA, and T-Bone Tom's in Kemah, TX.

The address for Mr.Bartley's is: Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, 1246 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138. The phone number is (617) 354-6559.

For more on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" (as well as the Food Network in general), please go to the link below:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/index.html

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Latest Review: Molana, Watertown

photo of Molana, Watertown, MAThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for a Persian restaurant in Watertown called Molana. Located on a side street a stone's throw away from Watertown Square, Molana is a small but comfortable restaurant that has a slightly exotic, sultry feel to it. The food at Molana focuses on dishes from Iran as well as other parts of Central Asia and the Middle East, with a number of kabobs offered. Beef, lamb, chicken, and seafood dishes make up a good part of the menu at Molana, but there are also vegetarian options as well. To read more about Molana in the Watertown, please click on the link above.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Brigham's Ice Cream Chain to File for Bankruptcy

A week after we reported that its shop in the Financial District of Boston closed, a local restaurant and ice cream chain is getting ready to declare bankruptcy. According to thebostonchannel.com, Brigham's Ice Cream is looking to file for bankruptcy later this week, though it is hoping to eventually emerge from bankruptcy and reopen eight of its more profitable shops.

Brigham's started in the early 20th century in the Post Office Square section of Boston's Financial District and eventually grew into a popular local chain that also sold its ice cream in supermarkets around the region. The ice cream that Brigham's sells in markets has remained popular, with its vanilla flavor being the #1 selling ice cream in the region over recent years.

[November 19 Update: According to the Boston Globe, only the Brigham's restaurants that are owned by Maryland company Deal Metrics LLC will be affected by the bankruptcy filing; the restaurants affiliated with Brigham's that have independent licensees will apparently not be affected by the filing.]

[November 20 Update: The Boston Globe mentions that the bankruptcy filing may happen as early as today. Also, a press release from HP Hood indicates that Brigham's ice cream will continue to be available in supermarkets as well as those Brigham's locations that remain in business.]

[November 24 According to the Patriot Ledger, Deal Metrics LLC has said that it is looking to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, but while this usually indicates liquidation of a company, Deal Metrics is hoping to keep some of the more profitable Brigham's restaurants open.]

For more information on Brigham's pending bankruptcy filing, please go to thebostonchannel.com link below:

Sweet N.E. Tradition On The Ropes

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Some Information on Our Facebook Fan Page and Twitter Page

Just a quick reminder that both Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Our Facebook fan page now has nearly 4,000 fans, while our Twitter page has just under 3,000 followers, so a lot of people are participating in discussions concerning the Boston restaurant scene on both pages.

To become a Facebook fan of Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants, please go to this link:

Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Page

And to follow us on Twitter, please go to this link:

Twitter Page for Hiddenboston

Update: Coppa Opens in the South End

It appears that Ken Oringer's newest restaurant may be opening very soon. According to Urban Daddy, Chowhound, and several other sources, Coppa is looking to open its doors to the public as early as today in the South End of Boston (according to Urban Daddy), but other sources have the Italian enoteca opening sometime this weekend. [December 9 update: According to a post on Twitter from Jamie Bissonnette (see below), Coppa is now open.]

Coppa, which moves into the spot on Shawmut Avenue where the upscale comfort food spot Dish used to be, is being run by Jamie Bissonnette, who has been the executive chef at Toro in the South End (another Ken Oringer restaurant). The menu at Coppa looks to feature Italian small plates as well as wood-fired pizza and homemade pasta and Italian wines and craft beers are also offered. An outdoor patio will be open during the warmer months.

Hours for Coppa are 12:00 PM to 1:00 AM. They are open seven days a week.

In addition to Coppa and Toro, Ken Oringer is also behind such popular Boston restaurants as Clio, KO Prime, La Verdad, and Uni.

The address for this new restaurant in the South End is: Coppa, 253 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, MA 02118.

For more information on Coppa, please go to the Urban Daddy link below:

Coppa | A Tiny Italian Pub in the South End

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

AKA Bistro Is Coming to Lincoln

A beautiful Boston suburb just west of Route 128 that has little in the way of restaurants is going to be home to a new French bistro and sashimi bar this coming spring.

According to the Lincoln Journal and Wicked Local, AKA Bistro will be opening at the Mall at Lincoln Station on Lincoln Road, bringing with it a restaurant manager and a chef from the Boston restaurant scene. Christian Touche and Chris Chung from Back Bay dining spots Clio Restaurant and Uni Sashimi Bar will be collaborating on this casual new restaurant that may be opening by March. [March 26 update: It looks like AKA Bistro will be opening on Monday, March 29.]

A press release sent to us by Barbara Quiroga and Associates states that Chris Chung, who recently received the 2009 Boston Rising Star award, will work as executive chef while Christian Touche will supervise the front of the restaurant, and another chef will be brought in to focus on the French fare. The press release also mentions that AKA Bistro will be the first dining spot in the Boston area to serve Kindai tuna (farm raised from the egg) from Japan.

The Lincoln Journal article says that AKA Bistro will serve both lunch and dinner, as well as brunch on the weekends.

Presently, Lincoln, Weston, and several other rural communities west of Boston have relatively few dining options, with Lincoln having no full-service restaurants at all that serve dinner.

For more information on the opening of AKA Bistro in Lincoln, please go to the Wicked Local/Lincoln Journal article below:

New restaurant to open at Lincoln Station

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The Chateau Opens in Braintree

A small local chain of family-friendly Italian restaurants is opening a new location in Braintree. The Chateau, which first started in Waltham in the 1930s and is now located in six towns around Boston, will open a seventh restaurant on the John Mahar Highway near South Braintree Square. The new Chateau is replacing a branch of Famous Dave's, a barbecue joint that closed its doors this past winter. A Patriot Ledger article from this past summer mentions that The Chateau will have a capacity of more than 200, and there will be an outdoor dining area with a capacity of about 25.

There isn't a specific date for their opening at this time, but the Patriot Ledger article indicates that it may open sometime in November. [December 1 update: The Chateau has indeed opened. The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner, starting at 11:15 AM Monday through Saturday and 11:30 AM on Sundays. Their phone number is (781) 380-8770.]

The Chateau is a family-owned chain that is known in part for its pizza as well as its reasonably-priced Italian-American fare. In addition to Waltham (and the new location in Braintree), there are also locations in Andover, Norton, Norwood, Stoughton, and Westboro.

The address for this new Italian restaurant in Braintree will be: The Chateau, 535 John Mahar Highway, Braintree, MA, 02184. The main website for The Chateau is at: http://www.chateaurestaurant.com/

Thanks to Lisa F., one of our fans on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Page, for letting us know about the opening of this restaurant.

For more information on the opening of The Chateau in Braintree, please go to the Patriot Ledger link below:

Local restaurant chain to open Braintree location

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Monday, November 16, 2009

Bear Rock Cafe Closes in Reading

A small chain of sandwich shops that concentrates mostly on healthy fare has closed its Reading, MA, location. The Bear Rock Cafe, a dining spot that also had a location in nearby Woburn that closed last year (where Masa now resides), has closed its only remaining Boston-area restaurant in the 128 Marketplace shopping center just north of Route 128.

The Bear Rock Cafe chain used to have restaurants in 11 states, but now appears to be in only 4 states (Florida, North Carolina, Pennsyvania, and Virginia), according to their website. The chain of quick-casual dining spots focuses mostly on freshly-made soups, salads, and sandwiches.

As of now, there doesn't seem to be anything moving into the spot vacated by the Bear Rock Cafe in Reading. As we receive more information on the space, we will post an update here.

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Guy Fieri to Feature Morin's Diner in Attleboro Tonight (November 16, 2009)

Guy Fieri of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" fame has been making the rounds in New England of late, including a segment on The Little Depot in Peabody, MA, last Monday night. This week, the affable Food Network host is heading south of Boston to Morin's Diner, a casual family-friendly restaurant featuring comfort food that has been around since before World War I. A couple of the specialties that Guy will be focusing on at Morin's will be the French meat pie and the fisherman's stew, according to the blurb on the Food Network site.

The show, which airs tonight at 10:00 PM (EST), will also feature the Lake Effect Diner in Buffalo, NY, and Geraci's in Cleveland, OH.

The address for Morin's is: Morin's Diner, 16 S Main Street, Attleboro, MA, 02703. The phone number is (508) 222-9875.

For more on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" (as well as the Food Network in general), please go to the link below:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/diners-drive-ins-and-dives/index.html

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Skyline Restaurant Apparently Closes at Marina Bay in Quincy

A restaurant in Quincy known in part for its outdoor dining and water views looks like it has closed its doors. According to a poster on the Chowhound site, Skyline Restaurant at Marina Bay shut down about a week ago, and a check on the restaurant over the weekend confirmed that it is indeed locked up and dark inside. One of a number of restaurants and bars in this harborside development in the northern section of Quincy, Skyline Restaurant has featured a mix of seafood and traditional American fare for a number of years. The casual dining spot has been an especially popular place in the summer, with its outdoor deck overlooking the water.

At the present time, it is not known what might go into the Skyline spot; as soon as we find out, we will post an update on the site. [December 7 Update: According to an article in the Patriot Ledger, it appears that a new restaurant will open in the Skyline spot possibly by January of 2010, with renovations made to the space.]

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Lazziz Restaurant Opens in Watertown

A town just west of Boston that has traditionally had little in the way of options for Indian food now has an Indian restaurant right in the center of town. Lazziz Restaurant opened about a week ago on Main Street in Watertown, adding yet another option to the growing restaurant scene in Watertown Square. Located in a fairly small space that used to be home to La Casa De Pedro (a Venezuelan dining spot that now resides in the eastern part of town), Lazziz is open for lunch and dinner, and also features a weekend brunch.

The menu at Lazziz features a variety of traditional Indian dishes such as lentil soup, paratha, nan, sag panir, chicken tikka masala, goat curry, shrimp vindaloo, lamb kabab, and vegetable biryani. Beverages offered include a variety of lassi drinks, while desserts include rice pudding and mango ice cream. Prices for lunch entrees at Lazziz are mostly around $10, while prices for dinner entrees tend to be around $15.

The address for this new Indian dining spot in Watertown is: Lazziz Restaurant, 51 Main Street, Watertown, MA, 02472. The phone number is (617) 926-0002.

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Friday, November 13, 2009

Sal's Pizza Opens in Woburn

A local chain of pizza places and Italian restaurants has opened another dining spot in the Boston area, this one being in the northern suburbs of the city. Sal's Pizza recently opened on Washington Street in the Cummings Park office development just south of Route 128, bringing to the area its well-known 19-inch pizzas and 1-pound calzones.

Sal's first started out in 1990 and is now quickly heading toward a total of 50 restaurants, including locations of Sal's Pizza, Mary's Pasta and Sandwiches, and Salvatores Italian Restaurant scattered throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Hours for the new Sal's Pizza in Woburn are 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Friday and Saturday, and 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Sundays.

The address for this new pizza place in Woburn is: Sal's Pizza, 299 Washington Street, Woburn, MA, 01801. The phone number is (339) 227-6885.

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Lord Hobo Opens in Cambridge

[Updated November 17] The highly-anticipated opening of a restaurant and bar in Cambridge is finally here. According to their website, Lord Hobo opens on Wednesday, November 18, on Hampshire Street near the edge of Kendall Square where the offbeat and eclectic B-Side Lounge used to be. Lord Hobo looks to be a beer bar, with a large number of high-quality beers both on tap and in bottles (the owner of Lord Hobo was also behind The Moan and Dove, a popular beer bar in Amherst), but the place will also offer gastropub-style food, including such dishes as fried oysters, lobster macaroni and cheese, truffle chips, hanger steak and fries, homemade gnocchi, saffron risotto paella, and seared cod.

Hours for Lord Hobo are 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM Monday through Friday, and 1:00 PM to 1:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday.

The address for this new restaurant and watering hole between Kendall Square and Inman Square is: Lord Hobo, 92 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, MA, 02139. the phone number is (617) 250-8454. And the website is at: http://lordhobo.com/

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Vej Naturals Is Leaving Malden, Opening in Somerville as Pulse Cafe

An organic vegan restaurant near the Oak Grove T stop in Malden is closing its doors this weekend, with a plan in the works to move to Somerville. According to the restaurant's website, Vej Naturals will be open through this upcoming weekend before shutting its Washington Street location for good. The note on the site goes on to say that they are planning on moving to a bigger location in Somerville's Davis Square, but the move has not yet been finalized. [November 24, December 3 updates: Vej Naturals will indeed be moving to Somerville, opening in Davis Square possibly by the middle of December. According to a post on wheretoeat.in, the restaurant will be moving to 195 Elm Street in Somerville. This is where the recently-closed Joey's Thai Cafe was located.]

Vej Naturals focuses on healthy vegan food with an eclectic menu that includes pizza, polenta fries, buffalo tofu bites, and jerk tempeh. Their hours at the Malden location have been fairly limited, being open only for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. It seems likely that they will expand their hours if and when the Somerville move occurs.

[January 3 update: Vej Naturals will actually have a new name when it opens in Somerville (possibly sometime this month): According to its Facebook page, it will be called The Pulse Cafe.]

[February 2 update: According to the restaurant's Facebook page, the new Pulse Cafe will open on Wednesday, February 3. For those of you looking for more information, their new website can be found at: http://www.thepulsecafe.com/]

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EVOO to Move from Somerville to Kendall Square in Cambridge

A rumor that we had heard earlier this fall about EVOO in Somerville seems to have some substance, as the Boston on the Go blog mentions that the restaurant will indeed be moving from Somerville to Kendall Square in Cambridge. The article states that EVOO will likely make the move from Beacon Street near the Cambridge border to 350 Third Street in Kendall Square in February of 2010. [February 9 update: According to BostonChefs.com, EVOO will be closing its doors in Somerville after serving one final dinner on Valentine's Day, and they may be reopening in Cambridge as early as late February.] Boston on the Go also reports that they will be sharing the new Kendall Square space with a second location of Za, an upscale Arlington pizza spot. (This information has also been confirmed within the City of Cambridge website on a license committee general hearings page.)

EVOO, a New American restaurant with an eclectic mix of food offerings, first opened about a decade ago, receiving high praise from both diners and critics over the years, including a "best eclectic restaurant" award from Zagat in their 2007/2008 guide, according to the restaurant's website.

For more information on the moving of EVOO from Somerville to Kendall Square in Cambridge, please go to the Boston on the Go link below:

Restaurant News

[March 7 update: According to the OpenTable site, EVOO is taking reservations for tomorrow, Monday, March 8, so it appears that the restaurant is open as of this week.]

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C.F. Donovan's in Dorchester Has Apparently Closed

A popular neighborhood eatery in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester looks like it may have closed its doors. According to the Dorchester Reporter and a couple of posters on the Chowhound site, C.F. Donovan's Pub on Savin Hill Avenue is now dark, with their windows covered with paper and their doors locked. The Reporter also mentions that calls put into the restaurant were not answered, and equipment from the place looked like it was being put into trucks.

Over the past few weeks, several reports came out about the ill-fated branch of C.F. Donovan's that was supposed to open in Hyde Park. The place had been in the works for a few years but never opened, and there has been mention in the media about the place defaulting on loans.

C.F. Donovan's was a personal favorite of the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site, with such dishes as thin-crust pizza, pumpkin ravioli, steak tips, and turkey dinner being a cut above that of your typical family-friendly restaurant and pub.

For more information on the apparent closing of C.F. Donovan's Pub in Dorchester, please go to the Dorchester Reporter link below:

C.F. Donovan's apparently shuts down

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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Third Annual TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala to Be Held November 21, 2009

A popular restaurant review program on NECN is hosting a food-based event later this month in Sharon, MA. Billy Costa's TV Diner will be holding its 3rd annual TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala at the Herb Chambers Lexus showroom on Route 1 on Saturday, November 21 from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with a number of restaurants and food providers participating. Some Boston-area dining spots that will be at the event include Burton's Grill, Asana at the Mandarin Oriental Boston, Ecco, Allora Ristorante, the Red Rock Bistro, and Taranta.

Entertainment at the TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala will be provided by the 10-piece Hip Pocket Orchestra. An auction will also be held at the event (proceeds go to Cradles to Crayons, a charity partner of TV Diner). Tickets for the event are $100.

For more information on the 3rd annual TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala, please go to the TV Diner link below:

http://www.necn.com/The-3rd-Annual-TV-Diner

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Latest Review: The Barn, Adamsville, RI

photo of The Barn restaurant, Adamsville, RIThe latest review on the Boston's Hidden Restaurants Web site is for The Barn, a breakfast place in the Adamsville section of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Located near the Massachusetts border in the heart of an historic village, The Barn is a rustic-feeling two-story restaurant that resides in an old structure set well back from the road. The menu includes all kinds of breakfast dishes, including Portuguese influenced fare as well as jonny cakes, a staple in this section of the state. To read more about The Barn in the Adamsville section of Little Compton, RI, please click on the link above.

Pie Bakery and Cafe in Newton Has New Dinner Menu, Beer and Wine

A bakery and cafe in Newton Centre that has focused on pies and other baked goods since opening in 2007 now has a new dinner menu, as well as beer and wine. According to Goldstein Pierce, Pie Bakery and Cafe is now serving such daily specials as spaghetti pie, steak quesadillas, turkey meatloaf, and oven-fried chicken as well as dishes that are available every day including potato knishes, chicken pot pie, macaroni and cheese, and shepherd's pie. The Beacon Street dining spot, which is known in part for its homemade pies, serves three meals a day and also offers off-site corporate catering as well as custom/specialty orders.

Hours for Pie Bakery and Cafe are 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Saturdays, and 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays.

The address for this bakery and cafe located a few west of Boston is: Pie Bakery and Cafe, 796 Beacon Street, Newton Centre, MA, 02459. The phone number is (617) 332-8743. And the website is at: http://www.piebakeryandcafe.com/

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